By Francisco Salazar
Heavyweight prospect Bakhodir Jalolov will face Willie Harvey tonight at the Marconi Automotive Museum in Tustin, California.
The six-round bout will headline a fight card promoted by longtime Southern California promoter Roy Englebrecht.
Jalolov (4-0, 4 knockouts) was an amateur standout who represented Uzbekistan at the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro. The 24-year-old Jalolov concluded his amateur career with a record of 84-13.
The southpaw Jalolov, who now resides in Brooklyn, New York, made his pro debut on May 5, knocking out Hugo Trujillo in the third round. In his bout on Dec. 8 in nearby La Puente, Jalolov knocked out veteran Marquis Valentine in the opening round.
Jalolov has won all four bouts in 2018.
Promoter Lou DiBella believes Jalolov has a bright future in the heavyweight division.
“Bakhodir Jalolov is a 6’7” heavyweight giant who is a former Olympian with massive knockout power,” said DiBella. “With his gaudy amateur record, skills, and size, Jalolov is already a force in the heavyweight division. I expect another impressive win on Friday against Willie Harvey and I will not hesitate to step him up in a major way immediately after.”
The 34-year-old Harvey resides in Plainfield, New Jersey. Harvey stopped Paris Liles at 11 seconds of the opening round of his last fight on Jan. 26.
Super middleweight Triantafyllos Mavidis (4-0, 4 KOs), who is originally from Greece and now resides in Los Angeles, will square off against Juan Celin Zapata (6-13-2, 4 KOs) in a six-round bout.
Middleweight Andreas Katzourakis (2-0, 2 KOs), another fighter from Greece, will face Gilberto Pereira dos Santos (14-9, 10 KOs) in a four-round bout.
Francisco A. Salazar has written for Boxingscene.com since September of 2012 and has covered boxing in Southern California and abroad since 2000. Francisco also covers boxing for the Ventura County (Calif.) Star newspaper. He can be reached by email at santio89@yahoo.com or on Twitter at FSalazarBoxing
